3 indulgent recipes to enjoy this World Vegan Month

Welcome to vegan cooking, Sam Murphy style. If you’re not familiar with the queen of vegan food porn, check out her Instagram – it’s clear to see why she’s well over 330K followers. There’s the ‘galaxy’ doughnuts sparkling blue and purple. The cheesecakes dripping with sweet goodies. And, oh, the loaded hot dogs and juicy lasagnes glistening with melted fat.

‘As a kid I ate a lot of junk food, and a lot of meals like macaroni and cheese and lasagne,’ says Sam. ‘I loved meat, so I had an inkling of what people would miss going vegan, and what I also sometimes missed. The challenge was, how could I do this vegan?’ So, Sam’s book, Beautifully Real Food, features clever hacks – like ‘liquid smoke’ (hickory) for adding that smokey meaty BBQ flavour – alongside raw vegan baking. ‘My main goal is for people to realise that, even if they don’t go vegan, they can enjoy a vegan meal without feeling restricted and reap its healthy aspects,’ says Sam. Get the best of both worlds with these tempting vegan treats:

Big vegan burger

As seen above

Makes 4

180g TVP soy mince, dry weight

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp vegetable oil

400g can black beans, rinsed and drained

2-3 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp corn flour

1 heaped tbsp ground flaxseeds

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp vegetable bouillon

2 tsp liquid hickory or mesquite

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp nutmeg

Salt and pepper, to taste

Seeded burger buns, warmed

For the ‘Big Mac’ mayonnaise:

80ml vegan mayonnaise

1 tbsp dijon mustard

½ tbsp ketchup

1 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp maple syrup

½ tsp vegetable bouillon

Toppings:

Vegan cheese slices

Shredded iceberg lettuce

Sliced pickles

1 Soak TVP in warm water as per pack instructions; leave to absorb all of the water.

2 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Lightly fry onion in oil until slightly caramelised. In a food processor or blender, whizz black beans and onion to a paste.

3 Combine the TVP, black bean purée, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl until a soft, sticky dough forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; chill for 10 mins, then shape mix into your desired patty sizes or shapes.

4 Heat some oil in a non-stick pan; fry patties 3-4 mins each side till crispy. Place on a lined baking tray, top with a cheese slice; keep warm in the oven so cheese can melt slightly. In a small bowl, whisk all mayo ingredients together with a fork. Set aside.

5 To assemble, spread a thin layer of mayo on bottom bun, then lettuce, then a cheese- topped patty and some pickles. Repeat to double stack. Serve with oven chips.

Loaded vegan hot dogs

Serves 2-3

For the sweet chilli sauce:

1-2 tsp hot sauce or chilli paste

2 tbsp reduced-salt tomato purée

2-3 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp salt

Water to thin, if necessary

For the cheesy mustard mayo:

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp onion powder

3 tbsp hot water (to reach your desired consistency)

1⁄8 tsp salt

For the hot dogs:

2-3 vegan sausages

½ red onion, sliced

1-2 tbsp oil, for frying

2-3 hot dog buns

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sesame seeds

1 Prepare the sauces by mixing all the ingredients for each separately in a bowl. Pour in resealable plastic bags; set aside.

2 In a large frying pan, fry the vegan sausages and red onion in a little oil until the sausage is browned and crispy on all sides and the onion is crispy. Drain both on a paper towel.

3 Warm the hot dog buns in the oven or the microwave.

4 To assemble the hot dogs, cut a slice down the centre of the bun with a bread knife (ensure you do not cut all the way through). Spread a thin layer of sweet chilli sauce inside the bun and then insert the vegan sausage. Top with onion, salt and pepper and finish with a drizzle of both the sweet chilli sauce and cheesy mustard mayo. (To apply the sauces, slice a small corner off the resealable plastic bags with scissors and squeeze as you would with a piping bag.) Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

5 Feel free to add any additional toppings to your hot dogs, such as grated vegan cheese or pickles!

Raw ‘snickers’ bars

Makes 6-8 bars

For the nougat base:

90g wholegrain oats

60g coconut flour

2 tbsp rice malt syrup

1 tbsp soft coconut oil

¼ tsp salt

60ml almond milk, plus more if needed

For the caramel:

240g or 12 large pitted medjool dates, soaked for 10 mins in boiling water

2 tbsp almond butter

1 tbsp tahini

80ml melted coconut oil

60ml maple syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla extract with seeds

½ tsp salt

130g unsalted roasted or raw peanuts

For the chocolate coating:

100g cacao powder or cocoa powder

¼ tsp salt

200ml cacao butter, melted

80ml pure maple syrup

1 Begin by blending the oats and coconut flour in a blender or food processor until it forms a fine meal; transfer to a mixing bowl.

2 Mix the malt, coconut oil and salt into the meal and add the almond milk. Add an extra few tbsp at a time till it begins to come together into a soft dough. With wet hands, press dough into a lined 10×20cm loaf tin; pop in freezer while you make the caramel.

3 For the caramel: drain dates and blend with the almond butter, tahini, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt (leave the peanuts out), until smooth and creamy. Add water if needed.

4 Transfer to a small bowl and stir the peanuts through. Spread the caramel and peanut mix evenly over the base and put back in the freezer. Freeze for at least 3-4 hours before slicing.

5 Prepare chocolate: sift cacao or cocoa powder and salt into the liquid ingredients; whisk together until well combined. (To melt your cacao butter, place it in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water.) Transfer this to a shallow bowl that is large enough for you to dip the bars into.

6 Slice the ‘snickers’ widthways so you get 6-8 evenly sized bars; trim edges a little with a sharp knife. Gently dip and coat each bar in the chocolate and transfer to a board, which will set in the freezer, lined with baking paper. Dip each bar twice until well coated. Put board in the freezer for a few mins to set the chocolate before eating.

7 Store in an airtight tub in the freezer; defrost a little before eating. Enjoy!